Tuberculosis or consumption is one of the most dreaded diseases. It is a major health problem
in India and often rated the number one killer. Over five lakh people die of this disease every
year.
Tuberculosis is caused by a tiny germ called tubercle bacillus which is so small that it can be
detected only by a microscope. The germ enters into the body through the nose, mouth and
windpipe and settles down in the lungs. It multiplies by millions and produces small raised spots
called tubercles.
Tuberculosis is not hereditary but an
infectious or communicable disease. Those suffering from
the disease for a considerable time eject living germs while coughing or spitting and when these
enter the nose or mouth of healthy persons, they contract the disease. Mouth breathing and
kissing as well as contaminated food and water are also responsible for spreading
tuberculosis.
Symptoms
Tuberculosis is of four types, namely of lungs, intestines, bones and glands.
Pulmonary
tuberculosis or
tuberculosis of the lung is by far the most common type of
tuberculosis. It tends
to consume the body and the patient loses strength, colour and weight. Other
symptoms are a
raise in temperature especially inthe evening, a persistent cough and hoarseness, difficulty in
breathing, pain in the shoulders,
indigestion,chest pain, and blood in the sputum.
Causes
Lowered resistance or devitalisation of the system is the chief cause of this disease. This
condition is brought about mainly by mineral starvation of the tissues of the body due to an
inadequate diet ; and the chief mineral concerned is calcium. In many ways, therefore
tuberculosis is the disease of calcium deficiency. There can be no breakdown of the
tissue and
no
tuberculosis growth where there is adequate supply of organic calcium in the said
tissue.
Thus an adequate supply of organic calcium in the system together with organic mineral matter
is a sure preventive of the development of
tuberculosis.
Lowered resistance also results from a variety of other factors such as suppression of the
disease by drugs and medication, use of stale, devitaminised and acid forming foods, eating
wrong combination of food, such as taking fruits with starchy foods at one meal, causing
fermentation the stomach ; wasting of energy through excessive loss of semen and living in
ill-ventilated houses. Other causes include exposure to cold, loss of sleep, impure air, a
sedentary life, overwork, conta- minated milk, use of tobacco in any form, liquor of all kinds, tea,
coffee and all harmful drinks. The factors prepare the ground for the growth of germs of various
kind, including tubercle baccilus. These germs may be present in the body but are quite
harmless for those who are full of vitality and natural resistance.
Treatement
Tuberculosis is no longer considered incurable if it is tackled in the early stages. An all round
scheme of dietetic and vitality building programme along naturallines is the only method to
overcome the disease. As a first step, the patient should be put on an exclusive fresh fruit diet
for three or four days. He should have three meals a day of fresh, juicy fruits, such as apples,
grapes, pears, peaches, oranges, pineapple, melonor any other juicy fruit in season. Bananas,
dried or tinned fruits should not be taken. For drinks, unsweetened lemon water or plain water
either hot or cold may be taken. If losing such weight on the all-fruit diet, those already under
weight may add a glass of milk to each fruit meal.
After the all-fruit diet, the patient should adopt a fruit and milk diet. For this diet, the meals are
exactly the same as the all-fruit diet, but with milk added to each fruit meal. The patient may
begin with a litre of milk the first day and increase by quarter litre daily upto two to two and a half
litres according to how the milk agrees. The milk should befresh and unboiled , but may be
slightly warmed if desired. It should be sipped very slowly. The fruit and milk diet should be
continued for four to six weeks. Thereafter, the following dietary may be adopted :
Breakfast : Fresh fruits, as obtainable, and milk. Prunes or other dried fruits may also be taken,
if desired.
Lunch : Steamed vegetables as available, one or two whole wheat chappatis and a glass of
buttermilk.
Dinner : A bowl of raw salad of suitable vegetables with wholewheat bread and butter. Stewed
fruit or cooked apple may be taken for dessert.
At bed time : A glass of milk.
The chief therapeutic agent needed for the treatment of
tuberculosis is calcium. Milk, being the
richest food source for the supply of organic calcium to the body, should be taken liberally. IN
the dietary outlined above at least one litre of milk should be taken daily. Further periods on the
exclusive fruit diet followed by fruit and milk diet should be adopted at intervals of two or three
months depending on the progress. During the first few days of the treatment, the bowels should
be cleansed daily with the warm-water enema and afterwards as necessary.
The patient shooed avoid all devitalised foods such as white bread, white sugar, refined cereals,
puddings and pies, tinned, canned and preserved foods. He should also avoid strong tea, coffee,
condiments, pickles, sauces, etc.
The custard apple is regarded as an effective food remedy for
tuberculosis. It is said to contain
the qualities of rejuvenating drugs. The Ayurvedic practitioner prepares a fermented liquor called
sitaphalasava from the custard apple in its season for use as medicine in the treatment of
tuberculosis. It is prepared by boiling custard apple pulp and seedless raisins in water on slow
fire. It is filtered when about one third of water is left. It is then mixed with powdered sugar and
candy and also the powder of car- damom, cinnamon and certain other condiments.
Indian goosebeary has proved to be an effective remedy for
tuberculosis. A tablespoonful each
of fresh amla juice and honey mixed together should be taken every morning in this condition. Its
regular use will promote vigour and vitality in the body within a few days. Regular use of radish is
also beneficial.
The patient should take complete rest of both mind and body. Any typeof
stress will prevent
healing. Fresh air is always important in curing the disease and the patient should spend most of
the time in the open air and should sleep in a well-ventilated room. Sunshine is also essential as
tuber bacilli are rapidly killed by exposure to sun rays. Other beneficial steps towards curing the
disease are avoidance of strain, slow massage, deep breathing and light occupation to ensure
mental diversion.
Water Treatment
Certain water treatments are helpful in cases of
tuberculosis. The patient's vital resistance can
be built up by a carefully planned graduated cold bath routine twice a day. The intensity of the
cold applications should be gradually increased to achieve satisfactory results. However, care
must be taken to keep the patient from catching a chill. A short hot fomentation with alternate
short cold application to the chest and back, and in the stomach region or a neutral immersionbath ( water temperature 98 O to 100 o F) for an hour just before retiring at night is also
beneficial.
Certain yogic practices are beneficial in the treatment of
tuberculosis in its early stages. These
include asanas like viparitakarani, sarvangasana and shavasana and jalneti kriya and
anuloma-viloma pranayama.